Timothy Dalton's mad doctor + corpse capitalism = Victorian capitalism's final boss
In Victorian England, graverobbers supply a wealthy doctor with bodies to research anatomy on, but greed causes them to seek an easier means of getting the job done.
Acting
Dalton's controlled obsession vs. Pryce's feral desperation
Production
Grimy Edinburgh streets that you can practically smell
Direction
Freddie Francis brings his horror cinematographer eye
Director
Freddie Francis
Timothy Dalton
Doctor Thomas Rock
Jonathan Pryce
Robert Fallon
Twiggy
Jennie Bailey
Julian Sands
Dr. Murray
Stephen Rea
Timothy Broom
Phyllis Logan
Elizabeth Rock
Patrick Stewart
Prof. Macklin
Phil Davis
Billy Bedlam
Philip Jackson
Andrew Merry-Lees
Beryl Reid
Mrs. Flynn
Siân Phillips
Annabella Rock
Lewis Fiander
Dr. Thornton
David Bamber
Cronin
Danny Schiller
Praying Howard
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Loosely based on the Burke and Hare murders, the real 1828 case that led to Britain's Anatomy Act and changed how medical schools obtained cadavers.
Dylan Thomas wrote an earlier screenplay adaptation in 1953; this filmed version uses Ronald Bessie's 1969 play. Francis shot this between directing actual Hammer films.
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